Audiobook: Arctic Creature Adventure for Kids

Fri, 10/18/2013 - 6:50pm by skcramer

Enter the world of auks and owls in Barry Wolverton’s Neversink. This animal fantasy introduces readers to the rich, complex society of birds who sip tea and start revolutions.

When a possible plague threatens the food supply on the island of Tytonia, power-hunger pygmy owl Rozbell decides now is the time to seize control of the Owl Parliament and of the nearby colony of auks on the island of Neversink. As Rozbell imposes an increasingly heavy “fish tax” on the creatures of Neversink, three unlikely heroes emerge to stop him: misfit puffin Lockley, spirited hummingbird Ruby and scholarly walrus Egbert. (You will never meet a more charming walrus than Egbert, I assure you.)

Fans of Kathryn Lasky’s Guardians of Ga’Hoole, Richard Adams’ Watership Down or Brian Jacques’ Redwall series will likely enjoy the complex animal society while American history lovers will enjoy seeing the parallels between the birds’ plight and the American Revolution.

World Hobbit Day Celebration!

Thu, 09/12/2013 - 5:36pm by manz

Saturday, September 21 | 2:00-3:30pm | DTN-MPR | All Ages

September 22 is the birthday of Frodo and Bilbo, hobbits from J.R.R. Tolkein’s famous fantasies The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. World Hobbit Day has been celebrated by fans all over the world since 1978, and this year AADL is getting in on the game, and we’re celebrating a day early.

Join us for a wonderful celebration of these fantastic books and movies. (The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is in theaters on December 13th!) In our Shire-for-a-day there will be Hobbit-themed games such as a Lord of the Ring toss, craft projects such as dragons and beards, and special snacks such as lembas bread.

Feel free to dress up as your favorite Middle Earth character to get into the spirit of things! (Note: Even hobbits have to wear shoes while in the library.)

The Boy Who Could Fly

Tue, 09/03/2013 - 2:02pm by erin

In 1986, the film The Boy Who Could Fly came out to decent reviews, although it didn’t make much of a splash. But over the years, it has become one of those movies that people remember and want to see again.

Milly and her family move next door to Eric after the recent, tragic suicide of her father. She quickly notices something unusual next door, from something flying by her window to Eric spending lots of time on the roof. Milly becomes intrigued and eventually befriends Eric, who is autistic and lives with his alcoholic uncle. Eric’s parents died in a plane crash, and Eric as been obsessed with flying since the tragedy.

The actors who play Milly and Eric give nuanced and effecting performances. Fred Savage is delightful as a kid whose strategy for coping with his father's death is both grim and comically engaging. The adults in The Boy Who Could Fly add breadth and depth to the story: Bonnie Bedelia as the frazzled mother; Colleen Dewhurst as the understanding Mrs. Sherman; and Fred Gwynne as Uncle Hugo, a loving guardian who is battling his own demons.

Whether Eric can really fly is open to discussion, but this heartwarming and delightful film tells a great story.

Best Children's Audiobook of 2013

Mon, 07/15/2013 - 4:25pm by skcramer

Summer is a great time for audiobooks, whether listening to them on a family road trip or at home. If you're looking for some youth audiobooks to listen to this summer, then why not try a title from the American Library Associate's list of 2013 Notable Children's Recordings.

Artemis Fowl: The Last Guardian. 7.5hr. Grades 5 to 9.
Listeners will be immersed in a world populated with fairies, trolls, and Opal Koboi—Artemis Fowl’s archenemy. Nathaniel Parker’s energetic performance conveys the rollicking adventures listeners have come to expect from Artemis Fowl.

The Cheshire Cheese Cat: A Dickens of a Tale. 4hr. Grades 4 to 7.
Katherine Kellgren gives vivid personalities to the many voices in this lively cat and mouse tale of Dickensian England.

The False Prince. 8hr. Grades 5 to 8.
Charlie McWade makes each unique voice stand out as Sage, an orphan, competes to impersonate a prince in a subversive plot.

The Fire Chronicle. 12.5hr. Grades 4 to 8.
In this sequel to The Emerald Atlas, Jim Dale expertly narrates Michael's and Emma’s hunt for a missing legendary book while their sister Kate is stranded a hundred years in the past.

Ghost Knight. 5hr. Grades 4 to 6.
As 11-year-old Jon Whitcroft and his new friend Ella seek to solve a century-old mystery, danger threatens their every move. Elliot Hill’s narration ably balances the real and ghostly worlds.

The Great Cake Mystery: Precious Ramotswe's Very First Case. 1hr. Grades 2 to 4.
Precious Ramotswe, a clever, thoughtful girl, has all it takes to be a No. 1 detective! Adjoa Andoh reads with enthusiasm and creativity, giving this story great appeal.

The Mighty Miss Malone. 8hr. Grades 4 to 7.
The hardships and courage of Deza Malone and her family during the Great Depression are read passionately by Bahni Turpin.

The Notorious Benedict Arnold. 7hr. Grades 6 to 8.
The story of Benedict Arnold, America’s first traitor, is narrated with suspense and intrigue by Mark Bramhall.

One Year in Coal Harbor, 5.5hr. Grades 4 to 7.
With a great deal of wit and charm, Kathleen McInerney voices Primrose Squarp's continuing story in Coal Harbor as she plays matchmaker and supports an effort to stop logging on the town mountain.

Titanic: Voices from the Disaster. 5hr. Grades 4 to 8.
With the use of multiple narrators, the story of this disaster is told from the viewpoints of a number of survivors.

Wonder, 8hr. Grades 4 to 7.
Diana Steele, Nick Podehl, and Kate Rudd recount the story of Auggie, a fifth-grade boy born with severe facial abnormalities, and the challenges and triumphs of his first year at school.

Block Printing Workshop

Mon, 07/01/2013 - 4:12pm by manz

Wednesday, July 10 | Pittsfield Branch | 6:30-8:30pm | Grade 6 - Adult

At this block printing workshop you will create a design, carve the design into a soft linoleum block with the proper tools, and then print the image onto paper and/or note cards. This is your chance to create wall art, or perhaps design a card.

We will supply all the tools necessary, you supply the creativity! If you have a design you want to carve please bring a sketch along, or if you have your own tools, feel free to bring those as well. If not, no worries, we’ve got you covered. No younger siblings please, we're using sharp tools.

Don't forget to check out some of AADL’s books on block printing for a spark of ideas.

Make an iPod Cozy!

Mon, 07/01/2013 - 4:09pm by manz

Thursday, July 11 | 6:30-8:30pm | Downtown Multi-Purpose Room | Grade 6th-Adult

Come take a stab at hand sewing and jazz up your ipod, MP3 player or phone. Using colorful felt, buttons and embroidery thread, you’ll create a one-of-a-kind cozy to keep your ipod or phone protected with a handmade case for it. All supplies are provided, and we’ll have ideas and samples to get you going. Feel free to bring your device if you want to test out your design and make sure it fits.

To keep the craft going, check out some books on hand sewing or felt fun. See you there!

Wise and Witty Mo LoBeau, 11-Year-Old Mystery Solver

Thu, 06/27/2013 - 11:29am by annevm

Middle grade readers who are looking for a good book for the summer, check out Three Times Lucky, by Sheila Turnage. This was a Newbery Honor book for 2013 and it is an excellent mystery story for readers in about fourth through seventh grades. It's also available as a book on CD, so if you have a car trip planned, take this one on the road.

The story stars 11-year-old Mo LoBeau, a wise and witty “rising sixth grader” who lives in Tupelo Landing, North Carolina. Mo was discovered as an infant washed ashore during a hurricane and has grown up with the Colonel, a restaurant owner with a mysterious past, and Miss Lana, hostess at the restaurant. When a murder occurs in her quiet town, Mo and her pals are on the case. While touching on a few serious issues such as family abuse and alcoholism, the novel is mostly light and highly entertaining. There are plenty of plot twists and turns to keep you reading. Mo has a wonderful quirky sense of humor, and when she talks about the people in her town, readers won’t be able to stop laughing. A sequel is planned.

Yarn Bomb the Library: Knit & Tag

Sat, 06/01/2013 - 9:50am by manz

Saturday, June 8 | 11am-1pm | Pittsfield Branch | Grade 6th- Adult

June 8 is International Yarn Bomb Day! We have two yarn bomb programs at Pittsfield to celebrate. First up:

Help us yarn bomb the exterior of the Pittsfield Branch Library! What is yarn bombing? It’s a form of knit graffiti and public art. We will be adding a coat of knitted color to the trees outside Pittsfield.

At the program you’ll learn how to knit simple pieces with our knit-cam and an instructor (the multi-talented Karen LePage of One Girl Circus) to help guide you. At the end of the program we'll use the pieces we created to yarn bomb the front of Pittsfield. We'd love your help with this art collaboration! The knitting instruction starts at 11am, and it’s not an easy program to arrive late to if you plan to knit for the first time.

We highly encourage experienced knitters and crocheters to also join us. Or if you have a piece already made, bring it to the program and we’ll direct you to the yarn bomb zone!

We have a ton of yarn on hand, but ask that you bring needles size 8 or 9 if you have them. For the younger patrons we have a yarn bomb program for grade K- Adult at Pittsfield from 3-5pm!

For more info on yarn bombing see this great , and check out the book Yarn bombing: The art of crochet and knit graffiti. For better visuals, visit the Downtown library garden, which was yarn bombed in May!

The Adventures of Theater Kids

Thu, 05/09/2013 - 3:43pm by pkooger

From the gregarious Glee kids to the harmonious horde of High School Musical, kids these days love their theater! And it’s not just on TV or in music. Check out one of these great books and read about awful auditions, big solos that bring the house down, backstage drama and pursuing your dreams! There’s no business like show business!

Better Nate Than Ever – Unbeknownst to his parents, Nate skips school and runs off to the Big Apple to audition for a fabulous role in E.T. The Musical. Will Nate be the next big Broadway star, or will his parents catch him and drag him back to his mundane small town life?

Starring Jules – Jules can’t wait to be on TV! She has an audition for a mouthwash commercial, but everything keeps going wrong! Can Jules land the part, and also befriend the new girl?

Drama – Callie is the stage manager for this year’s big musical, and she is committed to making it the best one the school has ever produced. Enter, the twins, stage right. Justin and Jesse both have amazing voices, as well as a knack for getting Callie into confusing romantic entanglements. What’s a young theater professional to do?!?

Yarn Bomb the Garden

Thu, 05/09/2013 - 9:23am by manz

Sunday, May 19 | 1:00-3:00pm | Downtown MPR | Grades 6th-Adult

Help us yarn bomb the garden at the downtown library! What is yarn bombing? It’s a form of knit graffiti and public art. We will be adding a coat of knitted color to our luscious outdoor garden.

At the program you’ll learn how to knit a small piece with our knit-cam and an instructor to help guide you. At the end of the program we'll use the pieces we created to yarn bomb the exterior garden by attaching them to trees and the like. We'd love your help with this art collaboration! The knitting instruction starts at 1pm, and it’s not an easy program to arrive late to if you plan to knit for the first time.

We highly encourage experienced knitters and crocheters to also join us. Or if you have a piece already made, bring it to the program and we’ll direct you to the garden yarn bomb zone!

We have a ton of yarn on hand, but ask that you bring size 8 or 9 needles if you have them.

For more info on yarn bombing see this great website, and check out the book Yarn bombing: The art of crochet and knit graffiti.